Globally, the creative economy generates an annual revenue of $2.25 million and accounts for 30 million jobs particularly for young people. The exact contribution of the sector in Africa remains unknown for lack of reliable data; but it is significant. It accounts for an average of 2% to 6% of the worldwide economy. With services, the creatives account for the largest share of global GDP at 61%. It is then proper to say the African creative economy is a creativity of the economy. It is also apt to say that this economy could complement growth, preserve heritage and provide livelihoods.

Standardization of creatives will be a step to an occasion that every night, quality African talent will be showcased across the continent. In Cape Town, South African opera stars will thwart audiences with exhilarating performances while they perform. In Dar es Saalam, Tanzanian fashion designers will showcase their wax fabric creations. In Kigali, Rwandan crowds will gather to appreciate the music created by award winning artist, Charly Na Nina. Households across the continent will be glued to their television screens watching the cinematic Nollywood. Lupita Nyongo’s, Chimamanda Ngozi’s and more statistical growths in continental finance and economic charts!

These only scratch the surface of the enormity and variety of the creative economy that Africa will churn out.

However, a very odd question as it is an oxymoron, creatives and standardization have been diametrically opposed.

It is in absence of standards that their importance is brought home. As purchasers or users of products, we soon notice when they are of poor quality, do not fit, are incompatible with equipment we already have, are unreliable or dangerous. We are unconscious of the role played by standards in raising levels of quality, safety, reliability, efficiency and interchangeability - as well as in providing such benefits at an economical cost. We can deduce that standards are a public good. They shape innovation and patterns of change. This is because

− Standards are relevant, meeting agreed criteria and satisfying real needs by providing added value.

− Standards are responsive to the real world; they are available, current technology and do not unnecessarily invalidate existing products or processes

− Standards are performance based, specifying essential characteristics rather than detailed designs.

The most compelling reason for using standards in the creative economy is to protect the long-term value of cultural heritage and the economy therein.

As in standardisation, any decisions where different points of product assessment need to converge to one is a vigorous enterprise. The beaten path to achieve a starting line for any type of standardization would include formal meetings and drafting sessions aiming to produce a standard between all stakeholders. ‘Stakeholders’ in the case of a multidisciplinary scientific area as the creatives is a considerable number since many styles, sciences, techniques, policies and philosophies meet. Consequently, any effort has to be carefully instituted ahead so that best results can be accomplished.

I foster the idea of a need to direct standardization to a continental role in order to achieve an African accepted voluntary consensus type standard for each field in the creatives in a way that is self-sustainable.

The objectives of such an undertaking could include;

− the whole effort to be patronized, supervised and organized by an African widely accepted regulatory body

− creating a complete and solid data structure for all data in the creatives.

− undertaking conformity assessments

In order to achieve the above objectives it is necessary to have the support and acceptance of the arts industry and the general community. For this reason, it is important to highlight the importance of standardization and make clear the aims and objectives of such an effort.

Having said that, a responsible body has to be chosen to organise the plight of this economy. Several criteria have to be fulfilled: Wide acceptance, Expertise, Continentally equitable selection, power and linkage to continental governance. Lastly, financially capable.

It is upon this basis that I suggest a continental standards bureau for the creatives and arts economy.

The first acknowledgment should be the acceptance by all that standardization is the way forward while at the same time, an independent African recognized international body leading the undertaking. It is imperative that the leadership come from a continental organization because of the existing united funding and infrastructure that it can offer to such a great development. It must also be in the position to work together with different governments, private organizations and NGOs in order to offer the support that professionals in the creative economy.

In the end, a continental standards bureau enables us to scale up, to control quality, and to manage variable demand and replication, as well as employees' development and mobility.

Derick B. Wesonga is a Kenyan student of medicine and surgery, passionate about policy.

The views expressed in this article are of the author.